Indicted mom of newborn found dead in trash claims evidence falls short

Friday

Jan 25, 2008 at 12:01 AMJan 25, 2008 at 8:28 PM

The defense attorney for the Milford woman accused of killing her newborn son made a motion in Worcester Superior Court today to drop the charges against her.

Paul Crocetti

The defense attorney for the Milford woman accused of killing her newborn son made a motion in Worcester Superior Court today to drop the manslaughter charge against her.

Peter Ettenberg, representing Allissa Pugh, of 263 Purchase St., said the indictment of manslaughter should be dismissed because evidence presented to the grand jury was insufficient.

Judge Kathe Tuttman took the request under advisement and will rule on it on or before Pugh's next court date of Feb. 21, said Timothy Connolly, spokesman for Worcester Country District Attorney Joseph Early.

Pugh, 28, has pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and improper disposal of a body. Pugh would still face the latter charge if the manslaughter charge is dismissed.

The body of the newborn was found Jan. 6 last year in a Milford trash truck after garbage was collected along Purchase Street.

Pugh was indicted in June by a Worcester County grand jury after a six-month investigation by the medical examiner's office and Massachusetts General Hospital's pathology department revealed Pugh's baby was alive during the birth and would have lived with medical attention.